Sometimes, we just want to be able to get what we want or hope to avoid the negative consequences of our actions. However, bribing an officer or other public official can land you in hot water and in front of a judge. If you or someone you know has been charged with bribery in Oklahoma City, don’t take it lightly. Contact an experienced Oklahoma criminal defense attorney who will represent your interests.
About Bribery in Oklahoma City
Under Oklahoma law, it is illegal to provide “any money, goods, right in action, property, thing of value or advantage, present or prospective, or any promise or undertaking, asked, given or accepted, with a corrupt intent to influence unlawfully the person to whom it is given, in his action, vote or opinion, in any public or official capacity.”
In sum, it is illegal to give anything to any public employee with the intent that he or she take or not take a specific action. Okla. Stat. tit. 21 § 381
Proving the Crime
A prosecutor must carry their burden and prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, each of the following elements:
- offering, giving, or promising,
- money, goods, property, or other valuable thing,
- to an employee, official, legislator, or other public officer
- knowing he or she was a public employee, and
- with the intent to influence his or official action.
OUJI-CR 3-5
It is therefore a defense that you either were unaware that the person was a public official or that you did not have any intent to influence him or her. A prosecutor will likely have to introduce evidence of a motive in order to prove the last element.
However, if you are found guilty of bribery in Oklahoma City, you may face between five and ten years in state prison as well as up to $5,000 in fines.
Low-cost Consultation: Oklahoma City Bribery Defense Attorney
Bribing a public official is a serious felony that requires expert criminal defense.
If you’ve been accused of bribery in Oklahoma, call the Criminal Defense Law Office of Oklahoma City at 405-588-4529 (588-4LAW).
If you prefer, send your question directly to an Oklahoma criminal defense attorney by using the contact form at the top right side of this page.
All inquiries are confidential. Also, your first consultation is low-cost.